No one is more excited for tonight's @RamsNFL Hard Knocks finale than I. And to prove it, I made my own: https://t.co/FxL8R7tyza
— Taran Killam (@TaranKillam) September 6, 2016
Getting fired is never fun, but former Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam is making the most out of a crappy situation after the sketch series cut him loose last month. Over the past few days, Killam has been posting a bunch of videos on social media chronicling his departure from the show, cleaning out his office and reminiscing about his time in Studio 8H. The clips strike a tone that’s both poignant and silly (the comedian segues from nostalgic musings one minute to shameless plugs for his upcoming VOD flick Brother Nature the next), but Killam has really outdone himself with his latest offering, a pitch perfect parody of HBO series Hard Knocks.
The video, dubbed Live Knocks: Saying Goodbye to SNL, takes its cues from the NFL reality series, right down to the narration by actor Liev Schreiber, who also provides voiceover for the HBO show. Likening Killam to one of the football stars at the heart of Hard Knocks, Schreiber explains, “Over the summer, the show released Killam from his contract, making Killam a free agent.”
“I had a good run,” the actor deadpans, as he takes down photos from his dressing room walls, mimicking a player who’s just been cut from the roster cleaning out his locker. “You know, six years is a long time to spend anywhere, and it’s time. I think it’s what’s best for the show, and it’s definitely what’s best for me.”
Killam has proven to be a good sport about the situation, despite the mysterious circumstances surrounding his SNL dismissal. As he explained in an interview with Uproxx after the news of his departure first broke, the comedian was disappointed (and still doesn’t know the real reason he was let go), but ultimately grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the series for so long.
It probably helps that he and his fellow abruptly fired castmate Jay Pharoah both have Showtime pilots waiting in the wings to help cushion the blow. And if that doesn’t work out, Killam always has a future in hilarious HBO parodies — not to mention Liev Schreiber on speed dial.
